Stampede storm past Orlando City

By John PattonCorrespondent

Published: Friday, June 20, 2014 at 6:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Saturday, June 21, 2014 at 12:16 a.m.

As he was jogging off the field at Trinity Catholic at halftime of Friday night's game against visiting Orlando City U23, Ocala Stampede coach Cheyne Roberts asked a bystander if he thought it was about to rain.

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Playing just 70:18 before lightning brought a delay and eventual halt to the contest, Ocala delivered perhaps its best performance of the season, defeating Orlando City, 3-0. The win not only avenged the Stampede's only defeat so far this summer — 3-1 at Lake Mary Preparatory School on May 21 — it also lifted Ocala (4-1-2, 14 points) into first place in the Southeast Division of the Southern Conference in the Premier Development League.

And the Stampede dominated play.

They outshot their rivals 13-4 (10-2 in the first half) with none of the attempts from Orlando City (2-2-3, nine points) really testing Ocala's goalkeeper, Alex Bolowich.

The Stampede, meanwhile, spent approximately 80 percent of the contest on Orlando City's defensive half of the field.

Ocala got its first goal in the 17th minute after Ben Knight made a nice run with the ball down the left sideline before finding Lewis Hilton in the middle of the field. Hilton then spun before netting his first goal of the season from about 15 yards out.

Sixteen minutes later, Hilton delivered his team-best fourth assist on a free kick that Paco Craig headed in for his second goal.

And then, in the 48th minute, Ilija Ilic scored his Stampede-high fourth goal off Kenny Hogg's first assist of the season.

The score might have been worse, but Orlando City keeper Cody Uzcategui made two difficult saves on shots by Jack Bailey and a third on a ball drilled by Leonardo Ayala five minutes before the rains came.

Now 8-1-1 at Trinity Catholic in Roberts' two years on the job, Ocala will host Floridians FC (2-4-1, seven points) on Wednesday at 7 p.m. The two teams played to a 0-0 finish last Sunday in what was the Stampede's second game in three nights.

<p>As he was jogging off the field at Trinity Catholic at halftime of Friday night's game against visiting Orlando City U23, Ocala Stampede coach Cheyne Roberts asked a bystander if he thought it was about to rain.</p><p>After listening to the reply, Roberts said “I do.”</p><p>It turns out, he and the Stampede were right about a lot of things.</p><p>Playing just 70:18 before lightning brought a delay and eventual halt to the contest, Ocala delivered perhaps its best performance of the season, defeating Orlando City, 3-0. The win not only avenged the Stampede's only defeat so far this summer — 3-1 at Lake Mary Preparatory School on May 21 — it also lifted Ocala (4-1-2, 14 points) into first place in the Southeast Division of the Southern Conference in the Premier Development League.</p><p>And the Stampede dominated play.</p><p>They outshot their rivals 13-4 (10-2 in the first half) with none of the attempts from Orlando City (2-2-3, nine points) really testing Ocala's goalkeeper, Alex Bolowich.</p><p>The Stampede, meanwhile, spent approximately 80 percent of the contest on Orlando City's defensive half of the field.</p><p>Ocala got its first goal in the 17th minute after Ben Knight made a nice run with the ball down the left sideline before finding Lewis Hilton in the middle of the field. Hilton then spun before netting his first goal of the season from about 15 yards out.</p><p>Sixteen minutes later, Hilton delivered his team-best fourth assist on a free kick that Paco Craig headed in for his second goal.</p><p>And then, in the 48th minute, Ilija Ilic scored his Stampede-high fourth goal off Kenny Hogg's first assist of the season.</p><p>The score might have been worse, but Orlando City keeper Cody Uzcategui made two difficult saves on shots by Jack Bailey and a third on a ball drilled by Leonardo Ayala five minutes before the rains came.</p><p>Now 8-1-1 at Trinity Catholic in Roberts' two years on the job, Ocala will host Floridians FC (2-4-1, seven points) on Wednesday at 7 p.m. The two teams played to a 0-0 finish last Sunday in what was the Stampede's second game in three nights.</p>